Ventilating system for tunnels and the like.



n. K. SWARTWOUT.

VENTILATING SYSTEM FOR TUNNELS AND THE UKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4.19m.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

mfg/7 fr mlm/W D. K. SWARTWOUT.

vENTlLATING SYSTEM FOR TUNNELS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-411914.

Patented Apr. l0, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NllTEl@ Flelllllllill @ltFlCF/io :BENTON K. SWARTVJUUT, OF CLEVELAND, GEIQ), ASSGNR TO THE 0R10 BLOVJER COIPfaNY, OF CLEVELND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

VENTLATING SYSTEM FR TNNELS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December f, 1914.

To all wwm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, DnN'roN K. Swann' wo'u'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ventilating Systems for Tunnels and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de- A lengths, and in the case of tunnels such as.

subways, to secure such ventilation in connection with the sections or divisions between stations.

More limitedly stated, it is the object of my invention to provide means for drawing in fresh air from one end of the tunnel and for expelling it through the opposite end thereof; and in the case of,a subway, to draw the fresh air through the entrance or exit of one of the stations and expel it through the entrance or exit of another station, located preferably adjacent the station through which the air is admitted.

. In carrying out my invention, l divide the tunnel (or each section thereof) into two compartments or divisions which are effectually separated by a partition (which partition may comprise a single door or a plurality of doors, slidable or swinging) and by suitable means l draw fresh air in through one of the compartments or divisions and expel it through the other. lt will be seen that in this way the tunnel is thoroughly ventilated throughout its entire r length and is continuallysupplied with fresh air. ln the case of a subway, a section thereof between stations which are selected, respectively, as the inlet and outlet for the air corresponds to a'tunnel, and the separating partition is located somewhere between the two stations, preferably substantially midway therebetween.

rlfhe object of my invention further com- ,t prehends the provision of forced draft apparatus that is located between the compart- Speeiiication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Ml, i917.,

serial No. 875,524.

ments or divisions of the tunnel and which communicates with both compartments; also the provision of mechanism for operating the doors (when they constitute the aforesaid partition) the actuation of which mechanism is controlled by conveyances passing through the tunnel and the arrangement being such as to cause the doors to open as a conveyance approaches them and to close immediately after the conveyance has passed through them. I

ln the accompanying drawings, wherein l have illustrated more or less conventionally and diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention, Figure l represents a horizontal section through a tunnel that is equipped with my ventilating system, the doors which are adapted to separate the compartments of the tunnel being shown as open; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail corresponding to the line 2*2 of Fig. l; Fig. '3 is a transverse sectional detail corresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical and pneumatic apparatus for operating the doors which separate the compartments of the tunnel; and Figs. 5 and 6 represent a horizontal section and a vertical longitudinal section, respectively, through a subway that is equipped with my Ventilating system.

Describing the invention by use of reference characters, A represents one and B another compartment of the tunnel, said compartments being separated by the doors l and 2, forming a partition. A track comprising the rails 3 and 4: passes through the tunnel and, in the embodiment shown herein is the track of an electric railway system of the third rail type, the third rail being indicated at 5 and the guard therefor being indicated at G.

Beneath the floor of the tunnel and located in the vicinity of the adjoining ends of the compartments A and B is a fan pit 7 within which there is a centrifugal blower 8 that is arranged to exhaust through the chute or flue 9 into the compartment A. The inlet openings of the pit 7 are indicated at l0 and are provided with suitable grids ll, while the exhaust opening of the chute or flue 9 is shown at l2 and is provided with a grid 13. The blower or fan 8 is driven by an electric motor 15 that is located at one side of the pit 7 as shown in Fig. 3.

`With the parts arranged as described it will be seen that, when the doors 1 and 2 are closed (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) and the blower 8 is operating, air will be drawn in through the compartment B of the tunnel from the open end thereof, down through the openings 10 of the pit 7, through the blower 8, thence through the flue 9 into the compartment A, whence it will be expelled through the opposite end of the tunnel. It follows that, in order to realize the most eiectual ventilation of the tunnel, the doors 1 and 2 must be normally closed, the doors being opened, preferably automatically on the approach of the train or car, and' being closed immediately after said train or car has passed through. rlhe apparatus whereby this automatic operation may be accomplished will now be described.

1n Fig. 4, the shafts 20 and 21, to which the respective doors 1 and 2 are secured, are shown provided with segments 22 and 23, respectively. Meshing with each of the segments is a rack 24 which is carried by a piston rod 25 connected to a piston 2G which reciprocates within a compressed air cylinder, the cylinder through which the segment 23 is operated being indicated at 27 and the cylinder through which the segment 22 is operated being shown at 2S. At 30 there is shown a slide-valve chest having three ports 31, 32 and 33. The slide-valve 34 has its stem 35 connected to a frame 36, one end of which is connected to a core of a solenoid 37 and its opposite end connected to the core of a sole- 40 is a compressed-air reservoir which is`- communicatively connected with the chest or casing of the slide valve 30 by means ofthe pipe 41. 42 is an air com` presser that is operated by an electric motor 43 which receives its current from the third rail 5 through the wire 44, switch 45, wire 46, fuse 47, and wire 48, which includes a switch represented conventionally at 49. The switch 49 is under control of a pressure device 50, which communicates through the tube 51 with the reservoir 40. r1`he pump 42 discharges into the reservoir through the pipe 52. The circuit from the third rail 5 is completed through the motor 43 by being grounded at 53, so that as long as 'the switches 45 and 49 are closed the motor will operate to actuate the pump or compressor 42 and charge the tank 40. As the pressure within the reservoir reaches a predetermined point, the pressure device will operate to open the switch 49 and thus open the circuit which supplies the motor 43, until the pressure falls below a certain point when, through the reverse action of the pressure device 50, the switch 49 will be closed. Illhe pressure device 50 and the switch 49 may be those of` any well known type and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to illustrate said parts in detail. y

It will be observed that the forward ends .shown in Fig. 4) air is conducted lto the valve chest, from the reservoir 40, through the pipe 41 and passing therethrough, by way of its port 31 is conveyed, lthrough tube 54, to the forward ends of the cylinders 27 and 2S, thereby moving their respective pistons in a direction to retract their piston rods and draw the racks 24 toward the cylinders and oscillate the segments 22 and 23 and the respective shafts 2O and 21 in a direction to open the doors 1 and 2. Upon the movement of slide 34 to the opposite end of the valve chest, pressure fluid supply to the forward ends of the cylinders is cut off and is established, through the ports 33 and the tubes 55, to the rear ends of said cylinders, the forward ends of the said cylinders being exhaustedy through the tubes 54, and the ports 31 and 32. The operation` above described is now reversed, and the shafts 20 and 21 are oscillated in the opposite direction to close the doors 1 and 2.

The wiring arrangement which includes the solenoids 37 and-38, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is applicable only to tracks whereon trains or cars travel in one direction, as in double track systems. In this embodiment the rail 3 of each track has a section 3;L that is insulated from the main portion of the rail and is located in the compartment A of the tunnel; while in the compartment B said rail is provided with a similar insulated section 3b. 1t will be noted that a wire (30 leads from the rail section 3a to the solenoid 37 and that a wire 61 connects the solenoid 3S with the rail section 3b. The'opposite sides of the solenoids 37 and 38 are connected through a common wire 62, withthe wire 4S which derives its current from the third rail 5. According to an arrangement herein shown, the trains or cars are intended to travel in the direction of the arrow C. Therefore, as a train or car approaches the doors 1 and 2, the rail section 3a is grounded through the wheels and aXle so that a circuit is established through the solenoid 37, causing said solenoid to retract its core and move the frame 36 toward the right and slide the valve body 34 to uncover the port 31, so that compressed air may flow through the tubes 54 to the forward ends of the cylinders 27 and 28 to open the doors 1 and 2.

After train or car has passed through the doors, the rail section 3b is grounded and a circuit is established through the solenoid 38, whereupon the aforesaid operation is reversed and the doors are closed, it being understood, of course, that the rail section 3b is located a distance from the doors equal to the entire length of the car or train.

In the subway illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the sections thereof between adjacent stations may be considered as equivalents of the tunnel above described, each section being divided into two compartments A and B by the doors la and 2a. W'henthe doors are closed, as indicated at the right hand end of Fig. 5, air is drawn in through the entrances D of one of the stations andv is transferred to the compartment A through. the openings l0a and 12a, and is expelled through the entrances D of the next adjacent station, the forced draft apparatus'being employed between the openings l0a and 12a exactly as hereinbefore described. It will be seen fro-m this that the entrance to one station will represent the inlet for two adjoining compartments and that the station entrance on each side of the inlet entrance will constitute an outlet passageway for compartments on each side of it, the consecutive forced draft apparatuses operating in opposite directions throughout the length of the subway.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have produced a Ventilating system for tunnels which combines maximum efficiency with a minimum cost of equipment and installation; also one wherein the application of the Ventilating system to such' tunnels is made without the necessity for, and the expense incidental to, procuring land additional to that already occupied by the tunnel installation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a Ventilating system for tunnels, the combination of a movable partition that is adapted to separate the tunnel into two compartments, and a forced-draft apparatus arranged to suck air out of one of the compartments and exhaust it into the other.

2. In a Ventilating system for passageways of the character described, the combination of a movable partition that is adapted to separate a passageway into compartments, one of the compartments having an inlet 'opening and the other an outlet opening, and a forced-draft apparatus that is arranged to suck air into the compartment having the inlet opening7 and expel the air Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

through the compartment having the exhaust opening.

3. In a Ventilating system for passageways of the character described, the combination of a movable partition that is adapted to separate a passageway into compartments, one of the compartments having an inlet opening that is remote from said partition and the other an outlet opening that is also remote from said partition, and a forced-draft apparatus that communicates with both compartments in proximity to the movable `partition and operates to suck air through the compartment having the inlet opening and to expel it through the compartment having the outlet opening.

al. In a Ventilating system of the character described, the combination of a passageway having a plurality of openings, movable partitions adapted to separate the sections of the passageway between adjacent openings into two compartments, and a forced-draft apparatus located in the vicinity of each of the movable ypartitions and arranged to suck air from the compartment on one side thereof and exhaust it into the compartment on the opposite side thereof, the forced-draft apparatuses that are located adjacent to consecutive partitions operating in opposite directions.

5. In a Ventilating' system of the character described, the combination of a pas sageway, a movable partition adapted to divide the passageway into two compartments, and a forced-draft apparatus located adjacent to the partition arranged to suck air from one side thereof and exhaust it on the opposite side thereof.

6. In a Ventilating system of the chai'- acter described, the combination, with a tunnel or passageway, of -a movable partitionadapted to block said tunnel or passageway and divide the same into two compartments, a track in said tunnel or passageway, means for exhausting air from the compartment on one side of said partition and for discharging it into the compartment on the opposite side thereof, and means controlled by the passage of a vehicle along said track for automatically moving the partition into and out of blocking position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. DENTON K. SVVARTVOUT. Witnesses:

W. W. HEALEY, M. E. EwING.

Commissioner of Patents, 

